Jen Jones, a TRU Canadian Studies Service Learning student, is busy assisting in the organizing of the On the Town arts celebration to be held November 4th at TRU’s Campus Activity Centre.

She got the job as a result of contacts made in her first stint in Service Learning in Winter, 2005, which found her on the organizing committee of the university’s inaugural Teaching Practices Colloquium as well as working in various capacities for Western Canada Theatre.

“My work in Service Learning for Western Canada Theatre gave me great contacts in the arts community, and when the job with the KAG helping to organize On the Town came up, I heard about it and applied right away,” she said.

First off, she dived into the archives of the Kamloops Art Gallery, Western Canada Theatre, and the Kamloops Symphony Orchestra, looking for visuals for a slide show depicting 30 years of the arts in Kamloops she’s created. The show will be presented in the Grand Hall as part of On the Town.

Next, she scoured the attics of friends and family and drummed up donations from second-hand clothing stores like Value Village for a ’70s and ’80s fashion show, to be presented at the beginning of the evening.

“It’s not a very serious portion of the show,” she explained. “It’s there to set the context for traveling back through three decades. It’s a lot of fun.”

The bright, energetic student, whose experience so far in her 23 years hasn’t included organizing and running a fashion show, enlisted the help of a friend, former Miss Kamloops Michele Mansus, now in the running for the Miss Canada title.

Jones is committed to the concept of Service Learning, so much so that she’s also just been selected as the sole undergraduate student representative on the Founding Board of Directors for the Canadian Association for Community Service-Learning, and is preparing for a trip to Montreal in next Monday to participate in the inaugural national meeting and symposium of CACSL.

“Since I’ve been in Service Learning, my marks have gone way up,” she said. “Service Learning gives you the chance to apply your knowledge, and to gain techniques you can’t learn in the classroom. It really gives you an edge. I’m thrilled to be able to reciprocate by promoting it at the national level.”

Now in the 4th-year of her degree program, Jones is also a member of a committee helping to organize a TRU student leadership program, and she plans to continue her studies in Service Learning by enrolling in SL 400 in Winter 2006. After graduation, she’s not sure.

“I’m going to apply to the Bachelor of Education program here at TRU, or maybe teach English in Japan, or maybe my work with CACSL will lead to something else entirely different?maybe a Service Learning coordinator at a community college somewhere.”

With the connections she’s already made, and her enthusiasm, the world awaits Jen Jones.

For more information, please contact Jen Jones by email or Ginny Ratsoy at 828-5238 or email.